八喜电子书 > 经管其他电子书 > the complete poetical works >

第4部分

the complete poetical works-第4部分

小说: the complete poetical works 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!




  Dance upon the parlor wall;



Then the forms of the departed

  Enter at the open door;

The beloved; the true…hearted;

  Come to visit me once more;



He; the young and strong; who cherished

  Noble longings for the strife;

By the roadside fell and perished;

  Weary with the march of life!



They; the holy ones and weakly;

  Who the cross of suffering bore;

Folded their pale hands so meekly;

  Spake with us on earth no more!



And with them the Being Beauteous;

  Who unto my youth was given;

More than all things else to love me;

  And is now a saint in heaven。



With a slow and noiseless footstep

  Comes that messenger divine;

Takes the vacant chair beside me;

  Lays her gentle hand in mine。



And she sits and gazes at me

  With those deep and tender eyes;

Like the stars; so still and saint…like;

  Looking downward from the skies。



Uttered not; yet comprehended;

  Is the spirit's voiceless prayer;

Soft rebukes; in blessings ended;

  Breathing from her lips of air。



Oh; though oft depressed and lonely;

  All my fears are laid aside;

If I but remember only

  Such as these have lived and died!







FLOWERS。



Spake full well; in language quaint and olden;

  One who dwelleth by the castled Rhine;

When he called the flowers; so blue and golden;

  Stars; that in earth's firmament do shine。



Stars they are; wherein we read our history;

  As astrologers and seers of eld;

Yet not wrapped about with awful mystery;

  Like the burning stars; which they beheld。



Wondrous truths; and manifold as wondrous;

  God hath written in those stars above;

But not less in the bright flowerets under us

  Stands the revelation of his love。



Bright and glorious is that revelation;

  Written all over this great world of ours;

Making evident our own creation;

  In these stars of earth; these golden flowers。



And the Poet; faithful and far…seeing;

  Sees; alike in stars and flowers; a part

Of the self…same; universal being;

  Which is throbbing in his brain and heart。



Gorgeous flowerets in the sunlight shining;

  Blossoms flaunting in the eye of day;

Tremulous leaves; with soft and silver lining;

  Buds that open only to decay;



Brilliant hopes; all woven in gorgeous tissues;

  Flaunting gayly in the golden light;

Large desires; with most uncertain issues;

  Tender wishes; blossoming at night!



These in flowers and men are more than seeming;

  Workings are they of the self…same powers;

Which the Poet; in no idle dreaming;

  Seeth in himself and in the flowers。



Everywhere about us are they glowing;

  Some like stars; to tell us Spring is born;

Others; their blue eyes with tears o'er…flowing;

  Stand like Ruth amid the golden corn;



Not alone in Spring's armorial bearing;

  And in Summer's green…emblazoned field;

But in arms of brave old Autumn's wearing;

  In the centre of his brazen shield;



Not alone in meadows and green alleys;

  On the mountain…top; and by the brink

Of sequestered pools in woodland valleys;

  Where the slaves of nature stoop to drink;



Not alone in her vast dome of glory;

  Not on graves of bird and beast alone;

But in old cathedrals; high and hoary;

  On the tombs of heroes; carved in stone;



In the cottage of the rudest peasant;

  In ancestral homes; whose crumbling towers;

Speaking of the Past unto the Present;

  Tell us of the ancient Games of Flowers;



In all places; then; and in all seasons;

  Flowers expand their light and soul…like wings;

Teaching us; by most persuasive reasons;

  How akin they are to human things。



And with childlike; credulous affection

  We behold their tender buds expand;

Emblems of our own great resurrection;

  Emblems of the bright and better land。







THE BELEAGUERED CITY。



I have read; in some old; marvellous tale;

  Some legend strange and vague;

That a midnight host of spectres pale

  Beleaguered the walls of Prague。



Beside the Moldau's rushing stream;

  With the wan moon overhead;

There stood; as in an awful dream;

  The army of the dead。



White as a sea…fog; landward bound;

  The spectral camp was seen;

And; with a sorrowful; deep sound;

  The river flowed between。



No other voice nor sound was there;

  No drum; nor sentry's pace;

The mist…like banners clasped the air;

  As clouds with clouds embrace。



But when the old cathedral bell

  Proclaimed the morning prayer;

The white pavilions rose and fell

  On the alarmed air。



Down the broad valley fast and far

  The troubled army fled;

Up rose the glorious morning star;

  The ghastly host was dead。



I have read; in the marvellous heart of man;

  That strange and mystic scroll;

That an army of phantoms vast and wan

  Beleaguer the human soul。



Encamped beside Life's rushing stream;

  In Fancy's misty light;

Gigantic shapes and shadows gleam

  Portentous through the night。



Upon its midnight battle…ground

  The spectral camp is seen;

And; with a sorrowful; deep sound;

  Flows the River of Life between。



No other voice nor sound is there;

  In the army of the grave;

No other challenge breaks the air;

  But the rushing of Life's wave。



And when the solemn and deep churchbell

  Entreats the soul to pray;

The midnight phantoms feel the spell;

  The shadows sweep away。



Down the broad Vale of Tears afar

  The spectral camp is fled;

Faith shineth as a morning star;

  Our ghastly fears are dead。







MIDNIGHT MASS FOR THE DYING YEAR



Yes; the Year is growing old;

  And his eye is pale and bleared!

Death; with frosty hand and cold;

  Plucks the old man by the beard;

       Sorely; sorely!



The leaves are falling; falling;

  Solemnly and slow;

Caw! caw! the rooks are calling;

  It is a sound of woe;

       A sound of woe!



Through woods and mountain passes

  The winds; like anthems; roll;

They are chanting solemn masses;

  Singing; 〃Pray for this poor soul;

       Pray; pray!〃



And the hooded clouds; like friars;

  Tell their beads in drops of rain;

And patter their doleful prayers;

  But their prayers are all in vain;

       All in vain!



There he stands in the foul weather;

  The foolish; fond Old Year;

Crowned with wild flowers and with heather;

    Like weak; despised Lear;

       A king; a king!



Then comes the summer…like day;

  Bids the old man rejoice!

His joy! his last!  O; the man gray

  Loveth that ever…soft voice;

       Gentle and low。



To the crimson woods he saith;

  To the voice gentle and low

Of the soft air; like a daughter's breath;

  〃Pray do not mock me so!

       Do not laugh at me!〃



And now the sweet day is dead;

  Cold in his arms it lies;

No stain from its breath is spread

  Over the glassy skies;

       No mist or stain!



Then; too; the Old Year dieth;

  And the forests utter a moan;

Like the voice of one who crieth

  In the wilderness alone;

       〃Vex not his ghost!〃



Then comes; with an awful roar;

  Gathering and sounding on;

The storm…wind from Labrador;

  The wind Euroclydon;

        The storm…wind!



Howl! howl! and from the forest

  Sweep the red leaves away!

Would; the sins that thou abhorrest;

  O Soul! could thus decay;

       And be swept away!

For there shall come a mightier blast;

  There shall be a darker day;



And the stars; from heaven down…cast

  Like red leaves be swept away!

       Kyrie; eleyson!

       Christe; eleyson!



**********



EARLIER POEMS



AN APRIL DAY



    When the warm sun; that brings

Seed…time and harvest; has returned again;

'T is sweet to visit the still wood; where springs

    The first flower of the plain。



    I love the season well;

When forest glades are teeming with bright forms;

Nor dark and many…folded clouds foretell

    The coming…on of storms。



    From the earth's loosened mould

The sapling draws its sustenance; and thrives;

Though stricken to the heart with winter's cold;

    The drooping tree revives。



    The softly…warbled song

Comes from the pleasant woods; and colored wings

Glance quick in the bright sun; that moves along

    The forest openings。



    When the bright sunset fills

The silver woods with light; the green slope throws

Its shadows in the hollows of the hills;

    And wide the upland glows。



    And when the eve is born;

In the blue lake the sky; o'er…reaching far;

Is hollowed out and the moon dips her horn;

    And twinkles many a star。



    Inverted in the tide

Stand the gray rocks; and trembling shadows throw;

And the fair trees look over; side by side;

    And see themselves below。



    Sweet April! many a thought

Is wedded unto thee; as hearts are wed;

Nor shall they fail; till; to its autumn brought;

    Life's golden fruit is shed。







AUTUMN



With what a glory comes and goes the year!

The buds of spring; those beautiful harbingers

Of sunny skies and cloudless times; enjoy

Life's newness; and earth's garniture spread out;

And when the silver habit of the clouds

Comes down upon the autumn sun; and with

A sober gladness the old year takes up

His bright inheritance of golden fruits;

A pomp and pageant fill the splendid scene。



  There is a beautiful spirit breathing now

Its mellow richness on the clustered trees;

And; from a beaker full of richest dyes;

Pouring new glory on the autumn woods;

And dipping in warm light the pillared clouds。

Morn on the mountain; like a summer bird;

Lifts up her purple wing; and in the vales

The gentle wind; a sweet and passionate wooer;

Kisses the blushing leaf; and stirs up life

Within the solemn woods of ash deep…crimsoned;

And silver beech; and maple yellow…leaved;

Where Autumn; li

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的